Since Israel’s assault on Gaza, I’ve been awash in grief, rage, and horror at the brutal genocide of people in Gaza and the bland lies Israel (and our governments) offer to justify the slaughter. A close Palestinian friend told me her cousin in Gaza got his legs and one arm blown off. Her family here in Canada is reeling with grief and fear. Others have lost entire families. In less than three weeks, Israel has destroyed 40% of already crowded Gaza and bombed hospitals and UN shelters, and tightened the siege. So people in Gaza feel (are) like fish in a barrel with nowhere safe to run, without electricity, safe water, or food, and constantly expecting a bomb to land on them. Last night, I went to a vigil for the (at that moment) 1,400 dead attended by over 100 mostly Palestinian people and a few of us allies, including me and one other Jew. We stood at the Human Rights Monument under a large sculpture engraved with the opening words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” On the monument steps, 12 Palestinian children held large display posters carrying photos of other beautiful children, all killed—some of them, their own family members. One child holding a poster, about 3 years old, was so short, I could only see the top of her head. A woman standing next to me in the crowd told me she’s a refugee from Gaza. Thankfully, she said, she had just gotten a call from her cousins saying, so far, they are all safe. A boy about 10 years old, went to the microphone to say through tears that seven of his cousins had been killed yesterday. As a Jew, I was invited to speak and my words were respectfully received. After the short speeches, subdued with dignified grief, young Palestinians took turns reading the names, ages, and home cities of the 1,400 dead. It took well over an hour to read all those names, as we stood silently, many holding candles, all grieving. Even the youngsters holding the posters stood patiently. One little girl finally sat down, but continued to hold her sign steady. Many the victims named were infants or small children. I felt overwhelmed by horror. It felt like I was attending a gruesome high school graduation, with the endless litany of names. But this time it wasn’t to celebrate launching young lives, but to grieve and honor what they will never become. I found myself thinking, “The organizers shouldn’t traumatize these children by making them witness all these deaths.” But then I realized that, of course, these children and their parents and grand-parents have grown up with the trauma of expulsion and death imposed by my Jewish people. The living children stood behind the posters of the dead children, dry-eyed and dignified, familiar with the fragility of life. They understand that these dead needed to be named, to affirm that they were not faceless enemies, but people with families and friends who cherished them, that their lives had had value, and that their deaths were unjustified murders. I thought about the beloved children in my family—Emily, Leela, Ria, Teegan, Jamie, Cameron, Isobel, Maggie, Molly, even my grown son, David and his cousins, Tanya, Heather, and Jason (who will always be “my kids” to me). I couldn’t bear for any of them to be subjected to these atrocities. Why would I condone my people subjecting other people’s children to demonization, terror, destruction, maiming, and death? My father was an international lawyer, who worked on creating a system of universal international law which was intended to prevent this sort of genocide from happening to anyone? He had also celebrated the creation of a Jewish state, which was, we were told, going to be moral light unto the nations. I think he would be rolling in his grave if he could see to what moral depths Israel has sunk. In fact, I have since learned, from its inception, Israel was founded on expelling and killing Palestinian people. We were all sold a pack of pretty lies and made complicit in a slow and violent genocide of another people. It’s time for Jews to wean ourselves from the false belief that oppressing and killing others will protect us. It’s time for us to stand with our Palestinian sisters and brothers and children for justice—an end to the occupation and the siege of Gaza.

The following post is by Steve Berube and appears in full on his blog at itseemscomplicated

Jeremiah 32:15 “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” [i]

Jeremiah’s words cry out seeking a response. Once again, Rachel is weeping for her children because they are no more. With the end of the ceasefire today (08/08/14) surely there will be more death and devastation.

Over 400[ii] Gazan children have died in this unholy war in the Holy Land. Like Rachel, millions have shed tears for the children. Tears have flowed for all of the innocents who have died in the bloodshed that stains the sacred ground of Palestine and Israel.

I suspect the deaths and bloodshed over the past two months have resolved nothing. The Israelis may have dealt a severe blow to Hamas but they have bred more hatred in Gaza and the West Bank than there was two months ago. I wonder, what will arise based on all who have been killed and wounded along with the devastation that has occurred? I fear the children who have experienced three brutal wars over the past eight years will be even more radicalized. Hamas is evil but will it be replaced by something even worse?

Meanwhile, on the Israeli side, nationalism seems to have an even deeper fervour than ever.

Only increased international pressure will make Israel realize that it must move toward peace by: respecting the Geneva Conventions, international humanitarian and human rights laws, ending the years of blockade in Gaza and ending the occupation across all of Palestine.

I fear that little or nothing will occur in the near term to quell the tears that flow from Rachel and from all others myself included until Israel realizes that peace and security are two sides of the same coin and true peace will never exist without justice for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

In order for the devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas to end it is imperative that the international community express very strongly that it is determined that this conflict should cease. To demonstrate that determination I consider that it is necessary for governments to support a number of actions through the United Nations.

First governments need to promote immediate negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority about a cease fire. The Palestinian negotiating team must include significant leaders of Hamas otherwise no deal can be struck that will have sufficient credibility in Gaza to make it acceptable and enforceable. Ther is supposedly unity between Fatah and Hamas. Let this be the opportunity to demonstrate that this unity is real and that from now on Isreal must be prepared to negotiate with representatives of Hamas. Civil strife can only come to an end with negotiations between governments and those they have called 'terrorists'.

Second, the Canadian government in particular should promote at the United Nations the sending of a force of Peace Keepers to the Gaza enclave. This is exactly the kind of situation that caused former Prime Minister Lester Pearson to advocate for the use of such forces. The situation he was responding to was just along the coast at the Suez Canal. The presence of the Peace Keepers would be to achieve various objectives. First, their presence would be a very strong indication that the international community is determined that this conflict should end and that the context be made suitable for negotiations towards a permanent Israeli/Palestinian peace settlement, Second, the Peace Keepers would be there to prevent and monitor any use of Israeli force against the Gaza enclave. This would be achieved because, to mount any attack, Israeli forces would have to deliberately disobey orders of United Nations Peace Keeper commanders to cease and desist or otherwise put UN personnel in mortal danger. Third the peace keepers would be responsible for finding and destroying any rocket launchers and underground tunnels used by Hamas or other Gazan armed groups. This would be achieved through an agreement reached with Hamas and other armed groups in reciprocity for preventing Israeli attacks and, also, by Peace Keeper intelligence gathering and searching. Fourth Peace Keepers would be responsible for monitoring normal access of goods, services and personal travel in and out of Gaza by land, sea and [eventually] air .

The international community, through the United Nations, should promote and endorse two other actions. The first is an arms embargo on both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, including Hamas. This embargo should remain in force until all the significant divisive issues on either side have been formulated, resolved and singed off in a comprehensive settlement.This embargo would fall heaviest on Israel . Nevertheless, it would still remain a major arms manufacturer and supplier. Such an embargo would, however, reassure the Arab and Muslim world that Israel could not seek a permanent solution depending upon its disproportionate military might.On the other hand all of Israel's international treaties of military assistance if externally attacked, would still remain in place.Finally the international community should promote and endorse through the United Nations, the setting up of an international commission to inquire,evaluate and report on claims and possibilities of war crimes committed by any of the armed participants in the conflict. Assertions of 'Crimes Against Humanity' mentioned in the report should result in the individuals involved being subject to international arrest, and trial at the International Court of Justice. All assets of any organizations involved should be internationally frozen.

I hope that such a grouping of actions would send to all the parties concerned the strength of message needed to make it unequivocally clear that this conflict must stop and somemthing genuinely sustainable and hopeful be developed in its place.

Mervyn Russell [life long peace activist and Coordinator of the Oakville/Mississauga KAIROS Group]

Dear Sir,We appreciate the article on the Hamas "mastermind" Mohammed Deif, but are appalled at the misinformation included in this Washington Post article:

It was unfair quoting the Israeli source for this ceasefire violation and their claim was untrue that Hamas has broken other ceasefires. Hamas has always been respectful of ceasefires; Hamas attacked Israelis in this recent ceasefire who appeared behind Gaza's lines in violation of the terms;*

Hamas, backed by the Gaza population, is refusing to agree to any cessation of hostilities (although they did nothing to start them) until their Warsaw Ghetto-like siege is ended. This is not merely an "economic blockade" ; it is a siege of land, sea and air that has turned Gaza into an open-air prison without access to the necessities of life that Israel is obligated to provide as the Occupying Power. The Warsaw Ghetto lasted for 2 years; this has lasted for eight; Gazans can't live any longer under these conditions and they are ready to die rather than return to the slow deaths and the irreparable stunting of their children.

The censorship and bias of our media have come home to roost in the public misunderstandings of this situation. The humanitarian catastrophe of this siege of Gaza has been censored, leaving the public in the dark about why Hamas is refusing to agree to cessation of hostilities. Hamas has been demonized, leading the public to rely on self-serving Israeli pronouncements of "fact" which are backed up by accommodating politicians.

A peaceful mideast is in the interests of the Canadian public, including a just peace for Palestinians. What is happening in Gaza is not in the interest of Canadians. We need more honesty from our media and more integrity from our politicians.

karin BrothersToronto

*An Electronic Intifada article by Ali Abunimeh documents the breakdown of this ceasefire in some detail. Research on past ceasefires indicates that Hamas' reputation for upholding them is well-founded. Israel maintains them only as long as they serve their purposes; their media can be counted on to blame Hamas regardless of the facts.

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